A friend of mine has an interesting take on what he calls “annoying interview questions” – and that includes questions about where you see yourself five years from now. (Others are about your greatest strength or weakness.)
While there’s certainly no one “right” answer for a question like that, some approaches work better than others. So without further ado, here’s what my pal L. Bosco has to say about it:
THOSE ANNOYING INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
by L. Bosco
Interviews are a pain in the neck!
Ideally you want to see if there’s a good fit between you and the employer. But most interviews are full of those “pat questions” that have been written up endlessly in books and even on blogs where so-called experts give job applicants handy-dandy “pat answers” to those over-used “pat questions.” So basically both sides could just as well e-mail in their parts and save everyone a lot of time. It’s a rare interviewer who knows how to create a really informative interview.
So job seekers must still sit through these often painful interviews (some where the interviewer is barely listening) and be prepared to answer these same silly questions: What is your greatest weakness? What are your strengths? How would you handle an angry customer?
And, my personal not-favorite: “Where do you want to be in 5 years?”
I always want to answer that last one with something like “living in Bora Bora on my lotto winnings” or “King of Siam” or at least “Sophia’s latest lover.” (The name mentioned to be filled in by you based on your own gender, age, preferences, and imagination.)
(Note from Work Coach: Uh…I’m not recommending you do that!)
It is a question where virtually any answer can get you into trouble, since you don’t know your interviewer. If you aim too high, you might come off as too ambitious and either won’t be around long enough to cover the cost of training or you’ll threaten their own position. If you aim too low, you lack initiative and won’t contribute enough to cover the cost of your salary.
So how the heck does one reply? I puzzled over this for days. And then weeks. And then more weeks. Finally, I could find no good “pat” answer that also felt safe. Therefore, I opted to tell the truth and the interviews be damned!
So from then on when I was asked where I wanted to be in my career five years from now, I told them:
“I don’t have a specific plan! I would like to advance. However, I am flexible. I will do my current job to the best of my ability and keep my eyes open for opportunities within the organization to advance even if it means changing roles. I am prepared to learn new things and contribute to the overall success of the organization in a number of ways. The only specific within that “plan of willingness” is that the opportunity be within my ability to learn, interesting enough for me to dig in and do a good job, and the compensation increase a reasonable amount in relation to the demands of the position.”
I was hired!!
I have since been interviewed for a number of promotions by a number of different people (most of whom have come and gone and never even met each other.) And when they asked me where I see myself in five years, I gave them all the same answer!! And I’ve earned eight promotions in thirty-one years.
The truth has one advantage over the best prepared scripts. No one is expecting it!
***
Note from Work Coach: For most of you who get a bit nervous at interviews, sticking to a quasi-pat answer still may be the best idea – or at least using a shorter hybrid version of L. Bosco’s answer: “I’d like to see myself here advancing to the next level or at least learning new things and taking on new responsibilities if at all possible.” Or if it’s a job where learning and advancement are not the goal, then a simple ” I’m happiest when I feel that I’m an essential part of the company I work for – hopefully this one. I hope to take advantage of whatever opportunities are available – but mostly, I want to do the best I can and know that I’m making a difference.”
Of course, if you are interviewing in a high-powered company that expects you to be hungry for advancement…well, if that’s who you are you sure don’t need help with a question like this! (-;
But no matter what your answer, when I interview people I strongly prefer candidates who are real and natural. Whatever you do, try to be yourself – even if yourself is a little nervous. (-; Look the interviewer(s) in the eyes, take a moment to connect, and then with as much truth and sincerity as possible make the words yours.
Since I know L. Bosco, my guess is that he won over his interviewers with his honest down-to-earth manner as much as with his words.
So where do you see yourself in five years? Hopefully not having to answer that annoying question ever again. But please DON’T use that as your answer. 
Good luck!
Ronnie Ann
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New Work Coach Cafe Policy:
Although I had to stop answering individual questions (to preserve my sanity), as always your thoughts and stories are VERY welcome here.
Hi Asja!
Hah! You have me laughing. You are so right! Wish we could put you in charge of getting rid of all the stupid questions!
Hmmm…might be a fun post to think about.
BTW…I think you handled the answer great. Good luck getting the job!!
I was recently asked that question. I have always gone with, “Moving towards promotion within the company.” And it has been an ok answer but never an attention grabber with any interviewer I’ve sat in front of.
This last time, I changed my answer at the last minute. Someone told me that right now, more-so than ever, Interviewers are looking for skilled “people” and not Scripted Interview Robots. So I focused on what I felt was best for my family and said, ” I have 2 children. One in Jr. High and 1 in Elementary. It is crucial that I remain intact geographically to allow my teenager the best stability and growth possible. Therefore, I aspire to be in THIS position. There is ample room for growth within this area and so my answer is, in 5 years, I expect to be right here, continuing to exceed expectations and growing daily.”
They LOVED that answer!
I love it too, Lori. What a great response. What people so often don’t get is that interviewers really want to see the real person – and not, as you point out “scripted robots”. I get so mad at websites that tell people to deliver scripted answers that only hurt the candidates.
I want to leave this on every website out there – although that might take just a little more time than I have right now.
(If I may, I might post about this soon.) So happy for you!
Thank you so much for sharing this with us. Good luck with what I hope will be your new new job, Lori. Please keep in touch.
Ronnie Ann
I had a telephone interview recently and I was asked this question. But, I was caught off guard. And I’m not very spontaneous, so I just kept it real. I told the interviewer, “Honestly, I don’t know.” Then I went on to talk about wanting to continue to learn new things and do work that I enjoy. And just wanting to do my job to the best of my abilities…stuff like that.
I’ll keep my fingers crossed.
Hi Perri!
I think that’s a great response. Nice recovery.
Some of this of course depends on the industry and factors specific to the job itself, but you can’t go wrong being yourself. Long ago fresh out of grad school I used to aim my answers toward what I thought they wanted to hear just to get the offer.
Believe me, I wound up in more than one job for which I was NOT a good match – and it was painful. But the good side of making mistakes first-hand is…that’s how I got so smart.
Good luck! Please let us know what happens.
~ Ronnie Ann
Hi, Ronnie Ann. Thanks for responding.
I got a call back. I will be meeting with the gentleman who interviewed me, and some of his colleagues. I ALWAYS feel confident that I can do a job. But, I’m not sure how to convey that confidence to potential employers.
Making eye contact is a little hard for me too, (I’m a little shy) but I know how important that is during an interview, so I’ve got to gather up the courage to do it.
I’m an Admin Asst. I’ve been stuck in this job for 15 years. FIFTEEN! I’m not exactly sure what kind of work I’d like to do, but I know it’s not this. I like to problem-solve and trouble-shoot. I like work that is technical. So if I’m doing work that is computer-related, I’m fine. If I’m stuffing envelopes or shredding papers (with my bare hands), I’m not.
Thus, I feel the key to becoming unstuck is finding a new job. I need new challenges and stimuli.
I’ll poke around here a little for some interview tips I can use.
Keeping my fingers crossed.
Hi Perri!
So glad just being yourself got you to the next interview. Congratulations! And thanks for sharing. Good for others to know it’s not about being perfect – no matter what they might think or read somewhere.
As for eye contact…you might try practicing with some friends or even in the mirror. Also helps to remember you are bringing them something no one else can offer – you. Not a small thing especially since you’re a problem solver – one of the most valued skills anywhere!
And by the way…funny you should mention your skills since I just happen to have been an IT business process consultant for many years. What does that involve? In addition to researching and documenting business processes related to computer systems, problem-solving and troubleshooting are a big part of it! (If you want to know more, just ask.)
I wish you much luck, Perri!! PLEASE let us know what happens.
~ Ronnie Ann
Hi Ronnie Ann. I just finished reading your “Stuck in the Waiting Game…” post (http://www.workcoachcafe.com/2008/05/28/stuck-in-the-waiting-game-after-second-interview/) and I feel as if I wrote it. The hiring manager told me that there’s a hold up with HR. During the second interview he told me that there were three likely candidates, including myself. I received pretty good feedback from him. In fact your post “How to Tell If a Job Interview Went Well” really resonated with me, but I didn’t read it to the end because I didn’t want to think that I already had the job.
Anyway, I’m waiting patiently (didn’t spam the interviewers with follow-up emails or anything). I’m trying not to think too hard about the HR thing. At the same time I’m still keeping my eyes on my employer’s HR website for other job openings.
Again, I appreciate your great tips .
thx!
Hi Perri!
Thanks for your kind words. Sounds like you’re doing all the right things. Glad you’re not spamming – although a nice follow-up after a couple of weeks is a good thing. Keep the momentum going and network, network, network!!
BTW…just between us, LOVE your e-mail address. Very cool.
Best of luck!!
~ Ronnie Ann
Okay. I didn’t get the job. But, I did get a nice rejection.
The hiring manager mentioned the possibility of a similar position becoming available in his department and wanted to know if I’d be interested. It’s not a definite thing, but I said that I would be interested. He said he’d keep me posted.
As for why I didn’t get the job…well, it was too close to call. He said that he and his staff felt that I was a “strong” candidate and that I had a “great” interview. He also said it was a hard decision and that the other applicants “would have been easy choices to fill the position.” Perhaps he flipped a coin? :p
When I asked if he had any suggestions on areas I could improve upon (to ace my next interview), he had none.
Anyway, I’ll continue to poke around here for your wonderful tips.
Keep up the great work, Ronnie Ann!
btw, glad you liked my email address.
Best,
perri
Hi Perri!
So sorry about the job, but thank you for sharing this feedback with us. Good reminder that even if you get a “no” on the one job, keeping the connection warm can lead to a job down the road. They do remember the good ones and in your case, they even suggested the possibility themselves. A nice possibility at the very least.
Meanwhile, good luck on your continued search wherever it may lead you!
~ Ronnie Ann